Universal Beijing Resort Closes, Plus Other Beijing COVID News

By Alistair Baker-Brian, October 26, 2022

As local cases of community transmission continue to pop up in Beijing, Universal Beijing Resort has announced temporary closure.

Via the Resort’s official Weibo account, it was announced that Universal Studios, Universal CityWalk, The Universal Studios Grand Hotel and NUO Resort Hotel would all close temporarily from today, Wednesday, October 26.

39401666767793_.pic.jpg

The announcement via Weibo. Screengrab via Weibo/@北京环球度假区

No re-opening date has yet been announced.

The Weibo post suggested keeping up to date with the latest announcements via the Universal Beijing Resort official app or Universal Beijing Resort Mini-Programs on Alipay and WeChat.

Those who bought tickets for the park, or who booked hotel stays, should apply for a refund or a change of date through the channel used to purchase.

The closure comes as Beijing continues to report locally transmitted cases of COVID-19, a small number of which are cases of community transmission i.e. detected outside of quarantine observation.

Woman Takes ‘Alternate Route’ into Beijing, Tests Positive for COVID

The Chaoyang district branch of the Beijing Public Security Bureau is investigating an individual who recently entered Beijing “illegally.”

The 30-year-old woman, surnamed Li, attended a wedding in Fujian province on October 21, China News Net reports. Before Li set off for Beijing, she noticed the notorious pop-up window on her Beijing Health Kit (北京健康宝).

She bought a train ticket to a city in Hebei province, but didn’t get off where she was supposed to, continuing instead to Beijing.

Exactly how Li exited the train station in Beijing without a valid ticket, or indeed a normal Beijing Health Kit, is not explained.

After arriving in Beijing on October 24, Li later tested positive for COVID-19. She is now under investigation for allegedly breaching relevant anti-epidemic laws – a lesson for anyone looking for an “alternate route” into Beijing.

Entering Beijing from elsewhere on the Chinese mainland is still no easy task. A normal Beijing Health Kit and negative nucleic acid test issued within 48 hours are requirements for everyone prior to departure. After arrival in Beijing, you must take two further tests over three days – one within 24 hours of arrival and another between 24-72 hours after arrival.

Click the link below for advice on how to get rid of your pop-up window on your Beijing Health Kit.

Beijing’s Latest COVID Numbers

On October 25, 19 new locally transmitted cases of COVID-19 were recorded in Beijing, as well as one asymptomatic case.

Only one of said cases was community transmission. The others were all detected under quarantine observation.

Between midnight-3pm today, October 26, there were 17 new locally transmitted cases reported in Beijing, one of which was a case of community transmission.